TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 91

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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 09 JUL 1993

REGISTRY

DESK OFFIC

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG

pa. Preas Roundups

042240 MDHIAN 8092

(57)

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS (8 JULY 1993)

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT

1. MANY PAPERS QUOTED NCNA VICE-DIRECTOR ZHU YUCHENG AS SAYING YESTERDAY THAT HE HOPED S OF S'S VISIT WOULD BRING PROGRESS TO THE TALKS. HE POINTED OUT THAT IF NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES WERE CONDUCTED ON THE BASIS OF THE THREE CONFORMITIES, THEY SHOULD YIELD GOOD RESULTS. ZHU HOWEVER DID NOT COMMENT ONS OF S'S REMARKS

ON HONG KONG BEING QUOTE A POLITICAL CITY UNQUOTE WHEN ASKED.

2. QUOTING SOURCES, SING PO SAID THAT AN AGREEMENT MIGHT BE REACHED IN OCTOBER SHOULD THE TALKS PROGRESS SMOOTHLY. SOURCES SAID THAT

THE BRITISH SIDE WANTED TO HAVE A THREE TO FOUR-WEEK BREAK AFTER

THE EIGHTH ROUND TO TAKE STOCK OF THE SITUATION. S OF S'S VISIT WAS

TO ALLOW THE BRITISH SIDE TO OBTAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE

SITUATION BEFORE THE PREPARATORY WORK COMMITTEE STARTED WORK AND TO

TEST EACH OTHER'S BOTTOMLINE. THE PAPER FURTHER SAID THAT THE BRITISH SIDE HAD STRIVED TO RETAIN AN ADVISORY ROLE IN THE SARPC TO

ENABLE THEM TO APPOINT PRO-BRITISH PEOPLE TO SIT ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE UNDER THE SARPC. ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS CARRIED A SIMILAR REPORT QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES WHILE THE HK COMMERCIAL DAILY QUOTED BRITISH SOURCES FOR THE SAME REPORT. INFORMATION CO-ORDINATOR, MIKE HANSON, HOWEVER SAID THAT THE REPORT WAS QUOTE ENTERTAINING, IMAGINATIVE AND INACCURATE UNQUOTE.

3. THE EXPRESS CONSIDERED A BREAKTHROUGH OVER THE THROUGH TRAIN QUESTION UNLIKELY DURING THE MINISTERIAL MEETING. QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES, THE PAPER REPORTED THAT THE CHINESE SIDE MIGHT AGREE TO MAKE KNOWN CRITERIA FOR THE THROUGH TRAIN AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME IN 1996 TO AVOID S OF S RETURNING TO THE UK EMPTY-HANDED. SOURCES FURTHER SAID THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CHINESE SIDE TO GUARANTEE THAT ALL LEGISLATORS ELECTED IN 1995 WOULD BE ABLE TO RIDE ON THE THROUGH TRAIN TO 1997 AS THE LEGISLATORS MIGHT HAVE CHANGED THEIR STAND IN THE INTERIM. THE PAPER STATED THAT THE

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